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All Black Liam Messam is considering switching to Sevens rugby as the chance to win Olympic gold threatens to lure players from the 15-a-side ranks for the 2016 Rio Games.
Code-hopping former All Black Sonny Bill Williams, who has crossed back to rugby league, is also reported to be planning a return to union in time to try out for the New Zealand squad heading to the Olympics.
The shortened form of the game becomes a full medal sport in Rio, a year after the next Rugby World Cup in England.
"It's something that's definitely on my bucket list. It'll be pretty cool to try and compete for an Olympic gold medal, and Sevens is close to my heart and it always will be," said Messam.
New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens, who has steered his side to victory in 10 of the thirteen Sevens World Series, has already begun assembling a core group of players to form the nucleus of a potential Olympic squad.
He has also won approval from the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to raid Super Rugby sides and take one player from each of the five New Zealand franchises to this year's Sevens World Cup in June.
The NZRU has told New Zealand's elite players that if they want to go to the Olympics they will not be allowed to play Super Rugby or Tests in 2016.
"Come 2016 we want to provide opportunities for Super Rugby players and All Blacks should they choose to have a crack at Sevens to be in the frame to go to Rio," said NZRU high performance manager Don Tricker.
"What that means in 2016 is complete immersion in Sevens, so they will not be playing in any other forms of the game in that one year."
Read more: http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2...476918,00.html